In the anaesthetized dog during and 1 h after release of 24 h unilateral ureteral ligation (UUL) renal blood flow (RBF) decreased to 48 and 43%, respectively, as compared with normal controls. Radioactive microspheres revealed an inward distribution of RBF inasmuch as the ratio outer/inner cortical perfusion (OC/IC) dropped from a control value of 79/21 to 57/43 and 50/50 before and after release, respectively. In normal dogs inhibition of prostaglandin production by indomethacin caused a decrease of RBF with outward distribution, OC/IC amounting to 85/15. Indomethacin treatment in dogs with 24 h UUL led to a further 50% decrease in RBF with a nearly proportional reduction in outer and inner cortical perfusion, with OC/IC ratios amounting to 79/21 before and 74/26 after release. It is assumed that in the ligated kidney prostaglandins produced in the medulla are not transported by the tubular fluid to the outer cortical zones and only exert their dilating effect on the inner cortical, i.e., juxtamedullary, vessels.